Large SUV Options for Towing

[adr4]

Hello Everyone,

So I followed a lot of advice from friends and internet searches, to include this site and this what I have done thus far:

1. Made sure to buy my second camper first.
2. Buy camper first and then get the right vehicle.
3. Researched towing vehicles & respective towing guides cover to cover.
4. Read the camper owner guide cover to cover.

Now I am trying to figure out the right tow vehicle. I feel a Large SUV can meet our needs. I need some advice before I commit to a vehicle. I have some experience towing trailers with larger equipment on them but never a camper.

Large SUV Ratings Avg (Examples: QX80, Armada, Navigator, Tahoe, Yukon)

Curb Weight = 5600
Payload Capacity = 1700
GVWR = 7300
Towing Capacity = 8500
Class IV Weight Dist. Hitch & Sway Control = 10k Rate & Tongue 1k

2 Adults & 2 Children + Luggage = 500

2015 Salem 26tbud

Dry Weight = 6068
Cargo Weight = 1709
*Tongue Weight = ? (Need to be 10 to 15% of GVWR of Trailer?)
Estimate Cargo/Camper Equipment = 500

Questions:
Can you provide good or bad experience by towing with Large SUVs?

How does a Weight Distribution Hitch affect Tongue Weight? I read a few things but still confused. I need this number to make sure Payload capacity isn't exceeded.

Thanks in advance!

[davel1971]

your on the right track. Payload is always the limiting factor in an SUV. I think you better up your 500 lb truck load though. Kids will only get bigger. Friends come along. You will pack more stuff than you think. 800 lbs would be more realistic. I towed with a Yukon when we got our first camper, about same size as you are looking at. It did ok, as long as hills were kept to a minimum. It was a 02 Yukon, so I'm sure the newer are a bit more capable. Make sure it's properly equipped for towing. Trans cooler a MUST

[asquared]

I would take the armada out of the equation for that tt. I towed a 30' tt with a dry weight of 5700 lbs, loaded weight per scales of 7300 lbs with an 04 armada. It handled very poorly. I was pushed all over the road and pushed down a 7% grade. I struggled up the 7% grade dropping all the way to 15 mph in first gear by the time I reached the top. The armada has a very short wheel base making it a poor match for a longer tt. The payload on the armada is very light as well limiting what you can tow.

For the tt you are looking at and the likely family to go with that floor plan, I would look at a 2500 suburban.

[capav8r]

I have an 04 Suburban 2500 with the 8.1 liter in it. We had a 30' Newmar TT that weighed 6280 empty. Initially, we towed with a 1/2 ton silverado - It struggled. With the Suburban, the only way we could tell we were towing is the mileage went down. It would pull at 70 all day long. Up hills, whatever. We used an equalizer and sway control of course. The Suburban had plenty of mass of its own to handle the trailer along with wonderfully powerful brakes. Too bad they don't make them (2500/big block) anymore. There are used ones to be found, although they are somewhat hard to find.

[asquared]

Originally Posted by capav8r

I have an 04 Suburban 2500 with the 8.1 liter in it. We had a 30' Newmar TT that weighed 6280 empty. Initially, we towed with a 1/2 ton silverado - It struggled. With the Suburban, the only way we could tell we were towing is the mileage went down. It would pull at 70 all day long. Up hills, whatever. We used an equalizer and sway control of course. The Suburban had plenty of mass of its own to handle the trailer along with wonderfully powerful brakes. Too bad they don't make them (2500/big block) anymore. There are used ones to be found, although they are somewhat hard to find.

Please slow down. Trailer tires are only rated to 65mph.

[HONDAMAN174]

Silly question- do you NEED a large SUV when not towing? You would be limiting yourself to 2500 surburban/Yukon. Or a 1/2 truck would meet all your needs.


2014 Evo 2850 "Woodstock"
2011 Toyota Tundra "Clifford"

[aceinspp]

Originally Posted by asquared

I would take the armada out of the equation for that tt. I towed a 30' tt with a dry weight of 5700 lbs, loaded weight per scales of 7300 lbs with an 04 armada. It handled very poorly. I was pushed all over the road and pushed down a 7% grade. I struggled up the 7% grade dropping all the way to 15 mph in first gear by the time I reached the top. The armada has a very short wheel base making it a poor match for a longer tt. The payload on the armada is very light as well limiting what you can tow.

For the tt you are looking at and the likely family to go with that floor plan, I would look at a 2500 suburban.

AS info no new for now 2500 suburban. Later RJD

[MCTroy]

We used 1/2 ton suburbans for years. Never had a problem with our 30 foot SOB old trailer or the Rockwood ultra lite 31footer with a slide. We didn't make any really long trips but the ride in the Sub was great!


MCTROY
2015 Windjammer 3029 Diamond Edition
Hemi powered by 2011 Ram, 5.7 gas crew cab
Ohio River Rats and two spoiled dogs

[adr4]

Thanks everyone for the input... To answer a few questions. We definitely want a SUV. Mainly the wife loves the convenience and the room.

Can anyone provide feedback on this from the original post?

"How does a Weight Distribution Hitch affect Tongue Weight? I read a few things but still confused. I need this number to make sure Payload capacity isn't exceeded."

[RedLdr1]

Originally Posted by adr4

Can anyone provide feedback on this from the original post?

"How does a Weight Distribution Hitch affect Tongue Weight? I read a few things but still confused. I need this number to make sure Payload capacity isn't exceeded."

Click Here for a good WDH tutorial from etrailer.com. They have some very good towing primers on their website...

[asquared]

Wdh will transfer some of the tongue weight from the rear axle to the front axle and done weight back to the trailer. Honestly by the time you add in the weight of the wdh and bars, you will still have about the same amount so I would just account for the whole amount of loaded tongue weight to be safe. One thi g to remember is the brochure payload won't be your SUV payload. Check the door sticker on any vehicle before purchasing. I've been there done that mistake and ended up with a new truck for the next trailer upgrade. It is very good that you are trying to understand this before purchasing.

[jtstromsburg]

My advice would be to find a used 3/4t burb. I pulled my old 28bh with an 04 1/2 burb, 4pt wdh with sway control and hated pulling in any side wind. Truck was simply too light. Switched to a 3/4t pickup and it was night and day difference. The 1/2t was capable of pulling fine, but I was much more comfortable hauling my family and camper with the heavier truck.

[AquaMan]

They did make 2500 Yukon XLs in '13 with the truck 6.0L and around 9200lb tow. Wife's '14 Denali XL has a 7800lb tow rating, but has the 400hp 6.2L. Not sure what the cargo capacity is though. Will check it out later. Came with all towing capabilities and brake controller, but no hitch. Go figure. We don't tow with it anyway.


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[dustman_stx]

A suburban with lowest gears available or an Expedition EL with the Ecoboost and heavy duty tow package and a ProPride hitch would work beautifully. Skip the models with all of the bells and whistles and get the more "humble" version for highest payload possible. Load everything that isn't 100% required to be in the TV into the TT so that you're only "carrying" 10-15% of that on the TV. My .02.

[bikendan]

WDH won't help increase payload capacity.

[220Chap]

LOVE my '06 Suburban 2500 8.1! Plan on keeping it for years. Searched hard in 2010 to find a nice one.

I'm not saying you need a 2500, but I've learned the extra capacity is very comforting. Have fun!

[beerjay]

Originally Posted by adr4

Hello Everyone,
Large SUV Ratings Avg (Examples: QX80, Armada, Navigator, Tahoe, Yukon)
Curb Weight = 5600
Payload Capacity = 1700
GVWR = 7300
Towing Capacity = 8500
Class IV Weight Dist. Hitch & Sway Control = 10k Rate & Tongue 1k

2 Adults & 2 Children + Luggage = 500

2015 Salem 26tbud

Dry Weight = 6068
Cargo Weight = 1709
*Tongue Weight = ? (Need to be 10 to 15% of GVWR of Trailer?)
Estimate Cargo/Camper Equipment = 500

Questions:
Can you provide good or bad experience by towing with Large SUVs?

How does a Weight Distribution Hitch affect Tongue Weight? I read a few things but still confused. I need this number to make sure Payload capacity isn't exceeded.

Thanks in advance!

I have an 09 Suburban now, had an 05 one before. They are full size SUVs, but the ones in your list are not. The Yukon and Tahoe are the smaller versions of the Suburban, same engine etc., but the extra 16-18" length in the Suburban and Yukon XL make a huge difference in ride and towing.

That being said, my trailer is 24 ft. coupler to bumper and 5500 lbs. loaded. I would never consider towing a larger trailer with the Suburban. Even as it is, large hills are a chore, running at 3500 RPM to get enough power to climb a hill is tiring and gives me 5 MPG. The frontal wind load due to the trailer slows me down a lot when it gets windy or even at highway speeds since the 5.3L V8 does not have the power to overcome it. On moderate roads its not a problem but anything hilly is not any fun.

My payload is 1500 lbs. so at 800 lbs. tongue weight and 100 lbs. for the hitch I have 600 lbs. left for cargo. I think your estimate of 500 lbs. is low. Most of the time its just my wife and I travelling, but I'm still very close the RGAWR rating which is another consideration. Its not just about towing capacity and cargo capacity there are weight limits on axles and overall weight. The transmission cooler alone changed my towing capacity from 5400 lbs. to 8000 lbs.
The WDH only distributes the weight to stop the front end of the TV from lifting, it does not add towing or cargo capacity.

A 2500 version of the Suburban/Yukon XL would be nice, or a diesel version if GM has one in the works.
I'm likely going to downsize the trailer or get a Silverado, just to get back to having fun camping like I did when I towed a pop-up for 10 years.

FWIW that's my experience with the large SUV over 10 years.

[dustman_stx]

Originally Posted by bikendan

WDH won't help increase payload capacity.

Who said it would?

[adr4]

Thank you everyone for the continued feedback! There has been some really hopeful items provided. Trans Cooler modification! and the etrailer article, thanks asquared! Couple of notes to add...

I will definitely increase my estimate of 500 to at least 650 for people and things in the TV, and I also like the tip to place items in the TT to accommodate for payload restrictions of the TV. I absolutely need a Large SUV and not Full sized because of length and fitting it my garage.

Finally, agreed that WDH does not increase payload, simply my question was does is affect Tongue Weight. It seems the consensus is that it really doesn't and I should continue to estimate of 10-15% of the trailer weight. Right now I am at 6k Dry and with about 1k cargo, I am thinking GVW of TT will be around 7K, which should be estimated at 700 to 1000 lbs tongue weight. I am planning to have a friend help me take the TV to weight station to make sure this is all correct before purchasing the SUV. Sound logical?

[asquared]

Sounds like you are right on track. Look for a tire leading door sticker to say at least 1600-1800 lbs for your needs. That will help eliminate extra weighs for you.